The Escort
by crazierthanu
Summary: Bella smashed through the proverbial glass ceiling of the corporate world, to become CEO of her own Fortune 500 company. She gave up on love, choosing to deal with her physical needs as business transactions. One-shot for FSAA.


_**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns everything to do with Twilight. I do not.**_

_**Many thanks to my beta's arfalcon and thefaintheart, and my pre-reader, Edwardianslip.**_

_**Also many thanks to SnowqueensIcedragon for her help with giving me links to sexy music during my writing of this looong lemon. I love you, Icy!**_

_**~o~**_

_**The ESCORT **_

Sprawled across a bed in the luxury suite of one of the city's finest hotels, draped with 1000-thread count Egyptian cotton sheets, I slowly arch my back, a luxurious stretch taking over my limber body. A low, satisfied moan erupts, totally uninhibited; knowing I was alone. Finally. Not that I didn't enjoy company. My body enjoyed it very much. Waking, totally sated and filled within my core; the results of a night of pure abandon. My body had never been pushed to those extremes, never felt as satisfied with the limits reached.

Wait. Maybe I did miss him. How was that possible? How many times had I engaged in sex for the pure sake of the act? I'd spent countless dollars hiring escorts to meet my – needs. Never, ever, had I felt any of them warranted a second thought or return engagement. But this one… definitely something was rooting inside of me. It was as if my body was willing my head to procure what it desired. And it desired him with a fierceness I had not experienced since I had vowed to never allow another man to affect me the way he had.

Although my body was screaming to be with him for a repeat performance, my steely determination to never get hurt again overpowered that want. _Get over it, bitch._ My inner voice whimpered at being squashed. _Please?_Ignored, the part of me in power forged on. Rising to perform my morning ritual of a lukewarm shower, and a leg shave; all performed as if by rote as thoughts roamed through an agenda my brain kept updated.

Throughout my day, random flashes of his face entered my mind. Why it chose to display those in slow motion was a curiosity to me. It did make me pause, annoyingly often. Absent-mindedly I shook my head, clucking my tongue at my inner self for being so weak. I forced her to silence the thoughts which invariably started – an inner dialogue pleading to repeat last night's escapade. "Ludicrous," I told her. It wasn't going to happen.

Inner-me sulked all day and I had an inordinately difficult task keeping my concentration on the immediate concerns placed before me.

I needed all of my control and attention on my vocation. I was the CEO of a Fortune 500 corporation which employed nearly 1800 individuals, most of whom had families which depended on the continuation of their tenure within my corporation. I could not allow to have my attention divided in any way, so finally managing to silence my inner voice, I commenced the functions of a CEO and succeeded in ending the day satisfied with my progress. The wheels in this endeavor continuing to move in a forward motion once again. Never once experiencing a blip in its productivity.

Knowing this was my only opportunity to clear my head, I pulled out my ear-buds attached to my I-pod, inserted them into my diamond studded ears, and clicked on 'play'. The sultry tones of _Angels and Airwaves_filled my head as I closed my eyes in pure enjoyment. It was then that my inner self decided to exert herself once again, anxious to continue her pleading ways.

"I want to see him again…" her whining continued, "…he was special…"

I allowed her a while to get it out of her system, out of –my- system, before I couldn't stand it anymore. But shutting her voice seemed to be a bit more difficult to do this time. This was of concern, but decided to let it wash over me. It was beginning to gain a minute foothold, breaking down my resistance.

My oak paneled office with its winged back chairs was left in darkness, behind a locked, solid oak door. I glanced at the gold nameplate as usual, pleased with the air of authority it evoked. A slow smile always formed upon my lips at the sight of it, knowing how much toil had gone in reaching my status.

Seriously, nobody knew what it had taken for me to succeed in this business. I had broken through the glass ceiling, metaphorically. Men looked up to me in reverence and awe. There was nothing in their demeanor which indicated a lack of respect toward me. This made me immensely pleased.

There were a few bastards who still thought they were smarter than me, but I didn't give a fuck about them. I could destroy them, if I wanted, with a few well-placed calls.

=======)

Walking down the empty cubicle room, previously filled with my faithful employees, the dank air needing a serious overhaul, I made a mental note to mention it to my PA. After a second thought, I pulled out my cell phone and texted her, just in case it escaped my memory. It had happened before, once. My memory was excellent, especially since the one time I'd forgotten and it had nearly cost me my job early in my career. I vowed then that nothing was ever going to happen similar to that. I guessed the fact that I had mild OCD, did factor into the equation. _Mild? "_You, shut it!" I rolled my eyes, knowing it was going to be another night of having to argue with my inner self.

Ever since that one particular male –escort- I looked around, as if anyone could hear my thoughts. That was my dirty little secret, and nobody could find out.

As I rounded the corner to the stainless-steel elevator doors, I heard a scurried set of footsteps. I laughed inwardly, shaking my head, knowing it was just the cleaner, who made it her life's work to stay out of my path. It was just a little outburst I'd had, but she took it hard. I didn't fire her. She just didn't know that wasn't the worst I could give. I think she'd learned her lesson and knew how to please me. It was simple really, do your fucking job to the best of your ability and follow the guide.

After stepping into the mirror-walled elevator, my high-priced 6-inch Manolo Blahniks clicked along the marble floors as the doors shut with a soft hissing sound, I let out an extended exhale, letting the nerves relax a fraction, my height dropping a good quarter inch. Trying not to see my reflection, I closed my wearied, stinging eyes; thoughts flung back to the night with him. I didn't stop myself this time, and my inner self was jumping around in circles, her hands pumping up and down, a joyful grin pasted on.

_Okay, go for it. _I acquiesced.

_Remembering his long strides once he had finished scanning the room, then taking a good, long once over at us? The feeling of a strong, take-charge man having his way – with us. It sent a charge of heat down to our nether regions. And there it pooled, instantly dripping, thankfully caught by a fresh mini-pad covering a luxurious pink, silk G-string beneath our thigh-length black leather skirt. It was our favorite __for times like these. __He hadn't even reached us yet._

_He smirked as he strode over, his emerald green eyes piercing through any armor we had so carefully spent years erecting. Seeing his bronzed tousled locks instantly made our palms itch, desperate to grasp fistfuls tightly before jumping into his arms, legs wrapping around his waist; his hard cock felt through strained material against our pulsing heat._

_It was like magic, as he performed exactly those movements imagined. Our breath hitched, as his slender fingered hands cupped our firm ass, tight after countless hours of being sculpted by a highly paid trainer at the exclusive celebrity frequented gym in the heart of Manhattan._

_As our manicured hands wound themselves into those silken locks, a soft hiss escaped, spurring him to take a few well thought out steps placing us onto the dining room table, then winding his hands into our shoulder-length auburn locks__, the balls of his hands firmly holding our jaw in place as his lips descended onto ours. A quick flick of our tongue to wet our lips, making our eyes widen__, before the only sounds heard was the quick intake of our collective breaths as our lips met with the ferocity of waves crashing onto the break wall. _

_We did not hesitate to allow his soft __tongue access, ours ready and willing to participate in a dance, a salsa, we surmised. It was electric. It was intense. It was heaven._

Well, we could call him. You know, say he forgot something at our place. He'd have to come. (No pun intended, but if he wanted to do that, we would so –not- protest.)

With one hand grasping the back of our neck, the other trailing fire down to hitch up our skirt, making quick work of finding our wet, heated core just past the aforementioned silk g-string panties.

_Holy fuck!_His long, strong fingers slid between the slick folds locating our clit in nano-seconds.

_Holy shit! _We were a burning mass in his skilled hands. Our knees were buckling, while the breathing was definitely ragged and we had to work at zoning out in order to let the sensations take over and have their way, leading us into a state of bliss.

As his fingers did the work, he leaned in to whisper into our ear.

"Fuck, doll. Your pussy is so fucking soft and wet. Let's see how fast you can cum for me, baby."

Holy. Fucking. Shit.

His words, like velvet, shot down to our core, and the sparks just flew in every possible direction through our body, and before we knew it, we had toppled over the edge. Leaving us not wanting, but utterly spent and gasping for air.

But… but... I wanted to feel him sliding in and out. In. And out. In and… out. I wanted his cock to be clenched between my walls in pure abandon. Gah!

Enough!

My inner self had had enough indulging. My breathing heavy, I cleared my throat after a few deep cleansing breaths. This was starting to annoy me. Why was I so bothered by this one man? Why did I think about his mossy green eyes; his raspberry tinted lips; his soft skillful hands?

Finally reaching home after a short drive in my cherry red Aston Martin, purchased as a birthday present to myself – my thirtieth – I kicked off my heels, reveling in the feeling of the coolness of the solid hardwood floor of my high-rise condo. I clicked on a few low lights and seated myself on the loveseat by the gas fireplace. Groaning, as I got up to get the glass of wine which I'd forgotten on the kitchen counter on my way to the living room, my aching feet rebelled and it caused me to limp.

Curling up my legs underneath me, the flames did their mesmerizing thing and I was lost in thoughts of the day. There were so many facets of the business that I needed to be in control of. Of course the PA knew her job, but I couldn't let control leave my hands, so I insisted on being in the loop on every little thing. I know this meant I was considered a micro-manager, but that was too fucking bad. I didn't get to where I was to have anything left to chance, or out of my control.

After I'd finished my two glasses of wine I laid down and popped in my ear-buds while I read until my eyes were too heavy for me to keep open. I'd allow myself to doze off. It was a recharging measure which had become my custom and my body looked forward to this eagerly each day. After waking, I'd hop into the hot multi-head shower, letting the residue of the day drain away.

I found myself fighting the urge to call the escort service, surprising myself that the suggestion was not coming from my inner self so much as the part of me that was in control. I tried to distract myself by watching CNN news, the world events affecting business in all realms, but to no avail. Thoughts of him, his musky scent, the weight of his body against mine, the control he had over me, were forefront and wearing down my resistance which had begun to crumble after being in his commanding presence and control.

Before I knew it my cell was in my hands and I was punching out the numbers. It never even occurred to me to be surprised that I had the number memorized. Had it, I might have embarrassed even myself – how many times had I actually used it to 'service' my needs. I probably should have surmised that I was a horny bitch. But all those thoughts never happened, or did they? No matter, it could not have stopped me from making this request.

I dialed through to the appointment person, who now recognized my voice, and was surprised at my request to have a scheduled visit by the same man. She said it wasn't customary practice, but since it was me, she'd pull some strings. I thanked her and made a mental note of the time, usual place understood. I then called the hotel to book my favorite room, which they usually kept on stand-by for me.

Everything was set and my inner-self was jumping for joy, making my stomach queasy. _Stop that!_I took a few cleansing breaths to calm her down, squashing any ramblings, which I knew she was dying to get out. I didn't need to hear them: my controlled self was already having the same ones.

I calmly gathered my things, deciding to go in casual tonight, my feet screaming at me for the heels they were trapped in all day. I donned my skinny jeans, tailored pink striped blouse, spritzed myself with Alfred Sung and applied a quick stroke of my lipstick across my full bottom lip, rolling the top over it to even it out.

One final glance in the hall mirror affirmed that I was ready. I slipped on my espadrilles, and opened the door to head to the parking garage. This time there was no clicking of heels on the marble of the elevator floor, only a soft swish of my foot moving slightly in the shoe.

I was thankful there were no wall-to-wall mirrors in this elevator, like the ones at my office building, not needing to gaze at what I was sure was the image of a desperate woman, having to pay for her needs to be met. And they were only my physical needs; emotional needs were not even considered these days in my conscious state.

My dreams on the other hand were filled with deep bonds with unknown and past lovers - where my whole being was satisfied and blissfully happy. It was in the waking that reality sometimes came barreling down. If my thoughts weren't consumed with mergers or projects with deadlines, I might not have missed opportunities to find the kind of love others had and be content. Those first few minutes of clarity caused me to become instantly depressed.

I allowed myself to wallow in them but for a short time, knowing more important matters needed my otherwise stable, intelligent mind to focus on them. Not wanting to allow my past, which had affected my future, to define me either. What had happened was something I could not change. I'd dealt with it as best as I could, my revenge being my success in my academic and professional life.

One incident had scarred me on the inside, but I'd long ago buried it deep, not wanting to think about the horror of the degrading manner of the act. I willed myself to survive it without pity or assistance from anyone.

The ding of the elevator reaching the parking level surprised me, drawing me back to the present. I stepped out onto the tiled floor of the vestibule by the exit into the garage. Pushing the door open, not an easy task for someone my size, I quickly made my way to my car, unlocking the doors on the way with my key fob. Sliding into my seat and turning the ignition on I adjusted the car's stereo system to play my favorite CD. I would be in full control. I would not let my heart rule. This was purely another business meeting, one with physical benefits, and I would be damned if anything else were to interfere with that.

Reaching the hotel, I pulled up to the valet parking and gave the attendant my keys. They knew me by name and greeted me in a familiar manner. I even every so often indulged them by flirting a little and leaving tips over and above what was customary. It didn't seem to break down the formality of the relationship in any way, and maybe even left both parties in a better mood after the interactions.

The main attendant who usually took care of my car was a sweet older man with impeccable manners but just enough sly wit about him to be entertaining. I assumed he had a lovely wife and four kids at home, the whole nine yards. I did kind of envy him. But I realized that everyone had a certain path in life and that obviously wasn't to be mine.

Still smiling as I thought about what his life must be like, my mind darted to what mine could have been like. That smile was instantly wiped that off my face. I was not going to go there. I couldn't.

I walked through the lobby, distracted by the people milling about, seemingly aimlessly as I approached the check-in counter. The attendant's business-like appearance instantly erupted into a friendly one at the sight of me.

"Ms. Swan, so great to see you today! How are you?" He stuck to his practiced line even though we had known each other for quite some time.

"I'm great, Michael. How is your day going so far?" I responded, my usual banter assumed, boring as fuck but what else would we be expected to say to each other?

Slipping the key card to the room into my hand I clutched them to my middle as I rode the elevator to the ninth floor. Room 913.

Stepping through the doorway, I sighed seeing the welcome basket of wine and an assortment of fruits and chocolates. I unwrapped a Ferrero-Rocher chocolate and popped it into my mouth, the sensation at first very nice, then as I crunched past the coating and reached the soft inner liquid center it was heaven in my mouth. It was near orgasmic. Well, close.

Realizing I was early by about twenty minutes, I kicked off my flats and curled up on the loveseat after grabbing the TV remote. I scanned the guide for something entertaining and found The Real Housewives from I wasn't sure what city, but that didn't really matter. These were rich bitches who sat around fighting amongst themselves while their children ran amok. It was, in an odd way, entertaining even though I wasn't sure what the point of the show was. Was there a point?

Not more than ten minutes in, I heard a knock at the door. My heart jumped a tiny bit at first, but a few deep breaths calmed me. Making my way to the door, I took a quick peep through the spy hole and pulled the door open for him.

As soon as he crossed the threshold, he wound his arms around my waist, lifting me up off the floor to swing me around, pinning me against the door. A quick inhalation into my lungs showing my surprise was replaced by a girlish giggle, which I hadn't heard come out of my mouth since, well, since I was a girl.

His weight against my body felt as if all was in its rightful place in the universe and there was nothing more I needed to feel complete. The fact that I was stunned into silence and frozen to the spot didn't click until he lifted my hands above my head denying me the one thing I desperately wanted to do - run my fingers through his silky mass of curls and grasp them tightly. He smirked as he lifted one brow, his green irises piercing into my soul, melting every defense I had left. Briefly I heard the whimper of my inner self swooning and passing out. Great. I thought with her help I'd at least be able to stand on my two feet instead of turning into this massive puddle on the Berber carpet. Oh fuck, I should have put on my underwear. I think it was subliminal because I didn't remember –not- putting them on.

As he held my wrists tightly in one hand, his other hand trailed down the sensitive side of one arm reaching into my hair to unclasp my clip, letting it fall. There was a rush of adrenalin coursing through my ears and body, so I was not conscious of the sound I knew it must have made as it hit the carpet.

His fingers continued their path of fire down my neck, where I was sure he would be able to feel my accelerated pulse beneath his feather-light touch, then around the outer curve of my breast, causing my nipples to harden just at the mere thought of him being so damn close. The path was unwavering in its quest to reach its final destination - my aching swollen flesh at the apex of my legs.

Holy fuck.

His brows arched for a moment at the realization of me being pantie-less, making me lose my equilibrium; I needed to close my eyes. He must have felt the extra dead weight at his hold on me because he scooped me up into his arms and laid me onto the bed. My head was spinning so fast, lucky I didn't get nauseous and have to reveal the meager meal I'd consumed earlier.

Swallowing hard as he crawled onto the bed, my elbows bent as I rested on them; my eyes widened with each movement. His eyes were like a tiger's and he was about to pounce on his prey, only they were filled with lustful hunger and I was what he desired. I bit my lip, a little too hard, swearing I could taste metal on my tongue, and for some reason that made me more nervous. It was his eyes, somehow darker the closer he got. His brows lifted a fraction after his eyes darted to my lips and back to lock onto my gaze.

Before I knew it his lips pounded onto mine, and I couldn't figure out how he was sucking on my lip, swirling with my tongue and literally killing me all at the same time. I struggled for a while to keep up, but soon found myself keeping in rhythm with him.

The very next thing I was conscious of was the sound of the buttons popping off my blouse in quick succession and then he was devouring my breast, right through my sheer bra. I pushed myself closer to his lips, his most skilled tongue and teeth which knew the exact amount of pressure to put on my nipples to drive me crazy.

Leaving me still wanting he changed speeds and began to lick a trail from between my heaving breasts down to my navel, then continued sucking his way downward. He gently lifted my legs over his shoulders, kissing the inside of my quivering thighs alternately. Writhing as his tongue delved in search of my clit, he used the softness of his tongue to caress and create a need; finally, his whole mouth covered me sucking and gently nipping.

Every nerve now tingling and screaming silently for more; engorged with the blood of arousal, I couldn't stop the moan from deep in my throat. It was a not so silent plea for him to keep going. I could feel the burn being ignited, the start of a raging fire deep within. My breathing now slow and becoming ragged as his tongue ravaged my clit. Part of me wanted to analyze the sensation but it was just too damn great to do that. I just wanted to lose myself in the ecstasy of it all.

Just when I thought I was at the peak of bliss, he snuck his fingers inside me, starting to pump them inside, hitting my G-spot. _Damn he was skilled!_This drove me to a place I had never been before, one where my soul sang the sweetest song written. My reaction was fierce, quickly climbing over the waves where I did not think my body was capable of reaching. Thinking I would combust, I screamed out for relief, my body shaking uncontrollably.

"Please… please…" were the only words I could manage to eek out.

His response was swift as he slid his length inside, thrusting quickly at first then slower; aiming to satisfy both our needs. It was a chasm of need and relief, all at the same time.

My fingers were firmly woven into his hair, pulling him to my breast; he, responded by sucking my nipple. The faster he went, the more I tried to rock my hips to get him in deeper each time, my breathing totally random until I just held it, praying for a quick release.

And it came. Cliché as it sounds, both of ours, at the same time. His groaning and my screaming through clenched teeth filled the air-conditioned air. No echo, just audible relief.

As he flopped beside me onto the bedding, he let out a breath filled with relief and satisfaction. He grasped my hand and lifted it to his lips, kissing each knuckle languidly, his tongue caressing along each pass. I couldn't stop gazing at his beautiful form, the perfect lines of his angular jaw and the quirky crookedness of his nose.

His eyes, as they cast down upon mine, melted my inner self again, as if she needed any more encouragement today. I could hear the thud in my head and I actually laughed a little at her.

"What?" His voice, like soft, luscious velvet interrupted my thoughts. My eyes snapped to his, silently inquiring after his brief question.

"What?" _Brilliant. You are a fucking genius and have just proven it. Aces and in spades._

My heart still seemed as if it were pumping the blood through my arteries at one and a half times the speed of normal, a welcome symptom of a night of the most satisfying sex I'd had in my life.

As soon as that thought hit my consciousness, it recoiled in wonder. Huh. That's so very true. Odd.

I was somehow lost in those thoughts when I began to feel his fingers tracing random patterns on my upper arm and shoulder causing a rash of shiver bumps to erupt along its path. I turned my head minutely to meet his gaze. Wanting to know his thoughts, I lifted my brow. No words were spoken. His fingers climbed up to my cheek and he traced it back and forth with his thumb before tipping my chin up and placing a soft kiss on my lips.

My eyes darted between his lips and his eyes, time enough to dart my tongue to wet my bottom lip before a soft chaste kiss. His face slowly broke into a satisfied smile and my own mirrored it. I lifted my hand to stroke his disheveled hair back away from his gorgeous face, cupping the back of his head as I committed this to memory.

He gently eased himself from the bed and headed for the washroom, silence continuing between us. I curled up, tucking his pillow into my arms as I inhaled his scent And I waited, my thoughts totally filled of him.

~x~x~

The next conscious thought I had was one of surprise. I had fallen asleep! I could not believe that. Panic overtook as I nearly jumped out of bed in one agonizingly painful leap, quickly scanning the room, finding no evidence of him.

Disappointment slammed into me as I strode through the room, checking the empty washroom. I fumbled for my cell phone in my overly huge bag, cursing the way it didn't have the necessary pockets to hold it in a handy spot. I pressed the button to light up the screen and it flashed to life, indicating it was 2:26 a.m. Fuck.

Deciding to just stay at the hotel, I returned to bed to sleep. I got myself together for work in the morning, only having to pop by my condo to change clothing. I couldn't shake the thoughts of him all morning, even as I immersed myself in the daily interactions between my employees and clients. I had a lunch meeting with a new client; needed to refocus.

Deeply engrossed in a proposal with my PA, we almost lost track of the time. I wondered where her head was at these days. That was the second time she wasn't on the ball for me in two weeks. I made note of this on my i-Phone's Notes app just in case I needed to let her not so competent ass go in the near future. Like I said, I was one discriminative bitch and if she wasn't up to the job, I was sure there were a few waiting in the wings who'd jump at the chance to prove themselves to me.

As she finished tying up loose ends, I got myself ready to go, using the washroom in my office, which always held a change of clothing for emergencies. The PA had one of the junior exec's get my car from the underground parking by the side of the building, saving me at least thirteen minutes.

The final touch was my stilettos, which really were my shoes of choice, giving me an added boost of confidence when dealing with new clients. They were sort of my lucky charm. Ha! I knew intellectually that I didn't need that, normally not a superstitious person, but in some weird way it made all my insecurities vanish. More than anything it made my inner, insecure self shut the fuck up.

PA finally earned her salary by having my GPS programmed to guide me to the restaurant where the meeting was to take place. I snatched it from her hands as she stood by her desk on my way out, along with my purse and the lipstick which worked with my outfit. A swipe across my lips and I was ready to go.

After a quick elevator ride down to the lobby, I snuck out the side entrance and slid into the driver's seat as the door was held open for me by the Jr. exec'. I gave him a courteous nod before he closed the door and I put the car into 'Drive', cautiously exiting the alley onto the main street.

I listened carefully to the GPS. I had no problems and found myself parked and at the front doors of the restaurant in good time for my luncheon meeting. I asked the maître d' to direct me to the correct table after showing him the name displayed on the screen of my I-phone. Following him I glanced downward at my skirt, a few quick brushes and I felt I was presentable once again.

Normally not prone to perusing a room full of strangers, my eyes were snagged by one person: a male, with unusual hair color. I scanned downward to his face. And that was when the bottom fell out.

It. Was. Him.

I was in a free-fall of epic proportions. The closer I got, the farther away my grasp of the here and now became.

As the maître d' stopped at his table and held the chair out for me, his face held an odd expression but I tried to compose myself.

The chair beneath my ass came at just the right moment as I felt my knees buckling under my weight, though my ankles most likely would have turned first, being in a precariously high elevation in my black satin Louboutins. I hit the chair a bit harder than I meant to and startled myself, letting out a loud exhale.

He was standing, a slight smirk on his face as soon as the maître d' placed his hand on my chair to pull it out for me. The pennies were dropping at an alarming rate in my head as I suspected he'd had a plan all along. I wasn't sure if I should bolt or wait out his explanation, assuming he had one.

Seating himself, his gaze never left my stunned face. Try as I might I could not keep contact, despite the energy passing between us in this awkward situation. Well, awkward for me, it appeared, not for him so much. The smirk unhidden, I searched his eyes for a few painful seconds, but his response was blank.

"So…" _Another brilliant word to come out of your mouth_. I just didn't have any words to begin so I absent-mindedly began to fiddle with the cutlery on top of the cloth napkin beside the charger plate. My thoughts were a myriad of emotions mixed with incoherent partial questions I couldn't vocalize.

"So…" he finally said. He leaned back in his chair with the palms of his hands flat on the table. It appeared as if he was going to explain himself.

My self-composed side finally emerged, full of confidence and bravado.

"What the hell is going on here?" The impact of my words were not evident on his face, but he cleared his throat as he leaned forward slightly, giving me the impression he was about to enlighten me. Instinctively I mirrored his body movement and my eyes locked onto his.

There was a flash of something which passed over his features, but it was gone as soon as I noticed it. My brow quirked in encouragement, which resulted in him pushing himself to the back of the chair again.

Then he took a sharp intake of air, held it briefly and began.

"I've known who you are from the beginning." His eyes still locked on mine, I was unable to disengage, however much I desperately wanted to; needed to.

My mouth gaping, I began to say something several times, to no avail. Blinking, a morse code signaling my incomprehension, my eyes closed shut eventually, trying to make sense of the eight simple words he had uttered. The motives and possibilities were vast. This could be ruinous for me, for my career. Absolutely devastating. Everything I'd worked for, sweat bricks for.

I had researched him and his company. I had done my homework.

This was something I thought would happen in a trillion years.

"Why?" my word a mere breath, but full of disbelief that someone would go to these depths to ruin me.

His reply was swift; I was sure he'd expected to answer such a query. No remorse evident, voice audibly strong, he said , "I love you. But I have to bring you down."

"What?" My world began to crash in around me.

**~x~o~x~**

_A/N: *nervous* So, what do you all think? I'd be so grateful for any and all reviews! It was definitely a different style for me._


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